The invention relates to food processing systems having a conveyor transporting a food product in a mold through a processing chamber, for example to cook or chill the food product.
The invention arose during continuing development efforts relating to, and is particularly useful in conjunction with, continuous serpentine conveyor systems, which are known in the art, for example as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,253,569, incorporated herein by reference. A serpentine food processor typically employs a continuous serpentine chain conveyor for transporting the food product through a processing chamber. The chamber has a predetermined temperature and environment for processing the food product, such as for cooking or chilling the product. The serpentine path provides a plurality of parallel flights connected at their ends by U-shaped bends. Each piece of food product carried by the serpentine conveyor is exposed to the same conditions of cooking or chilling as the piece of product ahead of or behind it. This provides a high degree of product uniformity, which results in high yields and extended shelf life of the product. In the processing chamber, cooking heat may be provided by steam, hot water, hot air or the like, and chilling may be provided by a tap water shower, recirculated brine or glycol, cooled air or the like.
The present invention particularly arose during development efforts directed toward a molded ham cooker. The ham product is in a bag, which bag is loaded into a shaping mold, e.g. 4 inches by 6 inches by 60 inches to form a loaf which is later sliced. A plurality of molds are carried by a conveyor through a processing chamber from a loading station to an unloading station and then returned by the conveyor from the unloading station to the loading station. The molds remain with the conveyor in the processing chamber. The bagged ham product is loaded into a mold at the loading station by an operator, and is removed or ejected from the mold at the unloading station. During cooking, the bagged ham takes the shape of the mold.
The invention provides various improvements in food processing systems, and has numerous applications. A particularly desirable advantage of the invention is that it eliminates mold handling and storage by operating personnel.